We are heading into spring and summer and I am looking at my wardrobe facing the same challenge I do every year; finding modest casual wear that isn’t frying hot.  If you are like me and are concerned about modesty, you might be wondering “Are There Modest Shorts?”  This is something I have thought a lot about and believe I have a Scriptural approach to the topic.

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time with people giving me their opinion as to what is “modest” without backing it up with Scripture.  I always think, “That’s nice, but just because ‘the Holy Spirit’ has or hasn’t convicted you about what you wear means very little to me.”

IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THE ONLY DEFINING FACTOR OF MODESTY?

If your dad says mid-thigh, your youth pastor says “finger tip length,” your Bible college says “knee length,” your Christian school volleyball team says 7″ spandex, but you are totally comfortable and feel no conviction about wearing a 4″ inseam … isn’t it up to the Holy Spirit to convict you?  Whose business is it anyway to judge you?

We live in a time where “Every man does that which is right in his own eyes” and where it is common for people to believe the majority of every “practical application” of the Bible is a gray area.  Having studied Biblical Counseling for 5 years, I can re-soundly say that that is not true at all.

In addition, I have seen people commit adultery and leave their spouse and say that they had total “peace” about it and that they had prayed about it, even though the Bible is very clear that it is a sin.

The Bible also speaks of a seared conscience (especially in the latter times) (1 Tim. 4:1-4) and the hardening of hearts in the midst of the reproof. (Prov. 29:1)  Therefore, I would caution anyone from thinking that “feeling convicted” about something and “the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart” is the best way to discern if something is right or wrong.

SO THEN, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SHORTS?

You know what?  Before I answer that, I want to ask you another question?  Does God speak about cleavage?  Does God speak of covering other areas that we deem “private?”  I know the answer to those questions.  Do you?  What determines why we cover some things and not others?  Is it just our culture?

In the jungle, it is culturally okay to be topless.  Is that modest?  Why or why not?  Can you show me it in Scripture?

In Hawaii, it is okay to bare the belly and do the Hula.  Is that modest or not?  Can you prove your answer from the Bible?

In America, mid-thigh shorts are deemed modest in some parts of the country and wicked in others?  Who determines what is modest?

The Bible does speak about shorts, and I will share that with you in a moment, but I want to ask you another question.

DOES WHETHER OR NOT A MAN FEELS LUSTFUL ABOUT YOUR ATTIRE DETERMINE IF IT IS MODEST OR NOT?

That’s a good question right?  Because most of us know that if we are wearing clothes that would cause a man to lust after us in his heart that we are considered guilty of adultery in God’s eyes because we placed the stumblingblock in front of the man.  (Matthew 5:28)

But I am going to challenge you as I did my own parent’s view as a child and as I hear many other women do today.  

Aren’t there men who will look upon any woman and lust regardless of what she wears.  Isn’t that the man’s fault?

What about the “rape culture” and that man will blame a woman for raping them because of what she wears?  Does that mean that she was to blame?  Aren’t men just lustful and therefore it is their responsibility to control their lusts and not us to make sure that everything we wear is “perfect.”  How can I know what will make him lust?

While there are many levels of cultural standards for modesty, can we help it if a man in Saudi Arabia feels we are worthy of rape because our ankles or head are uncovered?  Certainly not!

But in regards solely to what the Bible has to say about modest shorts, I am going to turn this back on us ladies, “If it was the man’s responsibility to keep his eyes pure, than is God wrong to hold us accountable as well?”  Is God wrong?  Does the Bible address this issue further?

It sure does, but before I answer that, I want to ask you one last question.

DOES GOD’S OPINION MATTER TO YOU?

I know that seems like a really silly question, but I am serious.  If God just gave you His opinion but for some reason beyond our own wisdom He did not turn that opinion into a command; would His opinion still matter?

A biblical hero of mine is King David, whose heart was likened to being “after the Lord’s heart.”  All throughout the Psalms he speaks of loving God’s testimonies. 

The Webster’s 1828 definition of “testimony” is “A solemn declaration or affirmation made for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact.”  “Open attestation; profession.”  Usually these are given under oath, but I think you and I can both agree that God doesn’t lie and therefore His testimonies are sure.

These are not the same things as “commandments” (Deut. 6:17), but I want you to read what God has to say about keeping those testimonies.

YOU ARE BLESSED IF YOU KEEP HIS TESTIMONIES

Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

KEEPING HIS TESTIMONIES IS A WAY TO MERCY AND TRUTH

Psalm 25:10  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

GOD CONSIDERS IT A PROVOCATION IF YOU DON’T KEEP HIS TESTIMONIES

Psalm 78:56  Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:

GOD’S TESTIMONIES ARE HOLY

Psalm 93:5  Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

So, I want to ask again, “Does God’s opinion matter to you, even if it isn’t a command?”  If it is, than I want you to keep reading about a testimony God has given.

GOD’S TESTIMONY ABOUT NAKEDNESS.

First I want to tell you that God does not specifically say, “Thou shalt not bare cleaveage” but it does speak of keeping things like that between you and your husband in Proverbs 5:15-21.  Remember this; God only mentions that in this one passage and yet our culture seems to understand it without a command.

Secondly, I would ask you to find some Bible word search program and look up the word “nakedness” and see God’s opinion on the matter.  To uncover one’s nakedness was considered a shame and a reproach even if the O.T. commandments are not always re-iterated to us in the N.T.

God surely does give his testimony in regards to what is right and wrong morally throughout Leviticus 18 – 20.  You should take some time to just read those chapters to understand that while we aren’t held to those specific laws and consequences, God’s view of morality is still right.

Now onto modest shorts; does God mention them?

It seems a little bit funny, but God’s first mention of modest shorts were actually underwear.  In Exodus 28:42, God had the priest wear underwear that covered their “nakedness” and then God defined nakedness from their loins to their thighs.

FROM YOUR LOINS UNTO YOUR THIGHS

In our culture, we just cover our loins.  That is what we consider naked, and that being said; if covering our culture’s view of nakedness was the only defining factor for modesty, than there are plenty of bikinis that do just that.  I guess, that is until you have to prove what nakedness really is from the Scripture.

But, that is just one random Scripture in the O.T. given to priests about underwear.  What does that have to do with us?  I get it.

Well, God doesn’t just give His definition of nakedness being the bare thigh in Exodus.  In a prophecy of a curse to Israel, He gave this description:

Isa 47:2  Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Isa 47:3  Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

This honestly is the only things God says about modest shorts.  He talks about covering our thighs as covering our nakedness.  If you read the Scriptures in Leviticus 18 – 20 you will remember that God viewed revealing our nakedness as a big deal.

I have one last question.

IF GOD CONSIDERS YOUR THIGHS AS NAKED, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MODESTY?

That is the million dollar question, isn’t it?

I believe whole-heartedly that this is God’s bare minimum in regards to shorts and athletic wear.  Why didn’t He just say, “Thou shalt not uncover your thighs?” 

Honestly, it is because in some cultures, showing your calves and ankles was considered immodest and there are some people who would rebelliously flaunt their liberty regardless of Romans 14 laws of love and keeping yourself from being a stumblingblock.  We must be tenderhearted to our surroundings to the highest degree even if we have the liberty to wear something less conservative. 

But God did make it clear that He does have a bare minimum (no pun intended).  He wants us to keep our nakedness covered and while not a command specifically, His testimony of what He views as nakedness (our uncovered thigh) was stated more than once.  Which I think is ironic, because He only mentioned just that one passage (in Prov. 5) about … ahem … our more feminine body parts, yet we don’t seem to balk at that as much.

LAST POINT, I PROMISE.

God’s view of modesty is not situational and I would encourage you ladies to reconsider your swimwear, swim shorts and workout clothes as well.

Do ALL to the glory of God.

So, are there modest shorts?  You tell me.  What do you think?

Also, if you appreciated this biblical look at “Are There Modest Shorts” you might also like to my post on “Are There Modest Pants?”

Have a wonderful week.

With love,

Melissa

P.S Someday, if the Lord allows, I would love to manufacture modest cute knee-length board (swim) shorts, active wear (gym) shorts and denim bermuda shorts with cute pockets. 

 

Please pray with me that the Lord would open the doors for this to happen if it is within His will.

PHOTO CREDIT – Those images do not belong to me and the products were not available to give credit to anyone.